Self Harm - Introduction
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Ways people self-harm • Waysofself-harmingcaninclude:• cu5ngyourself• poisoningyourself• over-ea8ngorunder-ea8ng• bi8ngyourself• pickingorscratchingatyourskin• burningyourskin• inser8ngobjectsintoyourbody• hi5ngyourselforwalls• overdosing• exercisingexcessively• pullingyourhair• ge5ngintofightswhereyouknowyouwillgethurt
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Young people report they self-harm to: • Comfortthemselves• FeelAliveinside• Feelwarmblood• Gaincontrol• Numbthemselves• Relieveemo<onaldistressoroverwhelmingfeelings• Relievetension• See‘red’• Stopbadthoughts• Punishthemselves• Replaceemo<onalpainwithphysicalpain
Life is hard and this
helps me get through
each day. Some people
smoke, some people drink, I cut.
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Precursors to Self Injury Disassocia8onHyperstress
Feelingoverwhelmed,unabletocope,exposed
and/orsensi8ve
Trigger
SelfInjury
Feelingrelieved,incontroland/or
calm
Feelingnumb,lost,alone,disconnected
and/orunreal
Feelingreal,aliveand/orableto
func8on
Risk Factors for Self Harm Behaviour IndividualFactors FamilyFactors SocialFactorsLowMoodAnxiety Unreasonableexpecta<ons Difficultyinmakingrela<onships
work/loneliness
Anexis<ngpsychologicalordevelopmentaldifficultysuchasAsperger,oralearningdifficulty
Youngcarersrolewithinthefamily Persistentbullyingorpeerrejec<on
Difficultycommunica<ng Domes<cviolence Racism
Lowself-esteem Neglectorabuse(physical,sexualoremo<onal)
HomophobicaTtudesorbullyingofchildrenwhothinktheymaybegay,lesbian,bisexualortranssexual
Poorproblemsolvingskills Poorparentalrela<onshipsandarguments
Easyavailabilityofdrugs,medica<onorothermethodsofself-harm
Hopelessness Depression,deliberateself-harm,bereavementorsuicideinthefamily
Cyberbullyingandsocialmedia
Impulsivity Religious/ethnicity/culturaliden<tydilemmasorconflict
Drugoralcoholabuse
Confusionaboutsexualityorfeelingdifferent/unaccepted
When feelings are very intense… sometimes
distracting ourselves for a minute to allow BIG
IMPULSIVE feelings to pass can help
Statistics AsyoungpeopleandteenagersoYendon’ttalkabouttheirmentalhealththenaccuratedataisnotavailable.However,itisthoughtthat:• 13%ofyoungpeopleselfharm• In2014therewasa70%increasein10–14yearoldspresen<nginA&E• Girlsaremorelikelytoselfharmthanboys• Boysaremorelikelytopunchorheadbudwalls–thisiss<llselfharm• 88%ofallselfharmadmissionsforunder18’sarepoisonings
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Task - Time to Think!
• Completetheshortquizonyourtableanddiscussyourresponses• Usingthe6cardsdecidehoweachstatementcouldbereceivedeitherposi<velyornega<velybythepupil
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Quiz – Why do people self injure? 1.Peoplewhoselfinjureareaden<onseeking.False:Peoplearetryingtocopewithpainorpressuretheyarefeeling2.Peoplewhoselfinjureuseitasawayofreleasingpressureandfeelings.True.Peoplesaythephysicalpainreleasessomeoftheemo<onalpressure.3.Itiseasytostopinjuringyourself.
False:PeopleoYeninjurethemselvesbecauseitistheonlywaytheycanfindtocope.Onlybyworkingthroughtheunderlyingfeelingscanthepressurebetakenaway,andpeopleareabletostopselfinjuring.
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Quiz – Why do people self injure? 4.Peoplewhoselfinjureareusuallyfeelingsuicidal.Mostlyfalse:Self-Injuryisawayofdealingwithpainorstrongfeelings,notanademptatsuicide.Howeveritistruethatpeoplewhoselfinjuremaybeatgreaterriskofademp<ngsuicideatsomestage.
5.Peoplewhohurtthemselveshideitfromothers.Mostlytrue:Theymaydoastheyfeelselfconsciousordon'twantotherstofindout,thoughnotalwaysthecase.
6.Peoplewhoinjurethemselvesareselfish.False:PeoplewhoselfinjureareoYentryingtocopewithalotofinternalemo<onalpressure.
7.Self-Injuryisacryforhelp.Mostlyfalse:Notnecessarily.Self-Injuryisaperson'schosenwayofcoping,evenwhilsttheyareworkingthroughproblemsordifficultemo<ons.However,ifsomeoneisself-injuring,askiftheywanttotalkaboutit
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The Power of Words Eughh!That’sgross.+You'veacknowledgedthecuTng–YouareleTngyourfeelingsgetinthewayandaremakingthemfeelworse
Ohno,youshouldgotoadoctorortheschoolcounsellorknowsaboutthisstuff.+You'releTngthemknowwherethereissupport–Itmightsoundlikeyou'resaying,Talktosomeoneelse-notme!
You'recrazy,cu5ngyourselflikethat.Justpullyourselftogetherandstopdoingit.+You'veacknowledgedthecuTng–Isshereallycrazy?Isitreallythateasyjusttostop?
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The Power of Words Youwannabecareful,thosecutswillgetinfectedyouknow.+You'veacknowledgedthecuTng.–You'reavoidingtheissue.Bedertoaskhowshe'sfeeling.
Ifyoutellmewhat'swrong,IswearIwon'ttellanyone+Youareencouraginghertotalkaboutwhat'sgoingon.Youletherknowshecantrustyou.–SomeofwhatshesaysmaybeupseTng.Youmayworrythisisseriousandwanttotellsomeone.
Howareyoufeeling?+Youareencouraginghertotalkaboutwhat'sgoingon–"Ifeelfine".Shemaynotbereadytotalk,letherknowyouwillbethereifshewantsto.
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